Midnight Memories
by MemeofMirkwood
Summary: My first LOTR fic, so be gentle. It's a Legolas short and the one women he ever loved. It's not however what you think, read it and see.


I don't own the characters from The Lord Of The Rings, they are JRR Tolkien's, I can claim Ankale (radiant one) however.   
  
The woods of Lorien seemed so eerily silent that night, far more quiet then any could remember it ever being. A fire crackled and like men do, a few members of the Rohirrim sat nearby it talking of the women they were fighting to save. Aragorn and Gimli too spilled precious stories of love that night. Telling all of the maidens that gave them a reason to keep going.  
  
Legolas was slightly detached for the group, staring off into the night, at things only he could see. His long thin fingers rubbed gently against the soft piece of grayish-green that was tucked safely inside his pocket. At times when he felt lost so far from home, he'd simply touch that old and tattered piece of cloth and was reminded of the splender of the Mirkwood. For the women who's dress that scrap of velvet came from, had been the most beautiful of all the Elvin females.  
  
"Legolas," Eomer called out to him. "tell us about the girl that owns your heart. Give us a story of the one that merits the immortal love our favorite fair skinned archer. "  
  
The elvish prince turned his head and cast a look at his friends. "I have none." He lied in a whisper before rising and walking over toward the darkness.   
  
"I think the pointy-ear is hiding something." Gimli elbowed Aragorn lightly.  
  
The ranger nodded, puffing his pip. "As do I."  
  
Legolas lowered himself onto a stump, just beyond where his companions could see in the night with their human eyes and pulled the strap of textile from the pocket of his tunic. As his blue eyes stared blankly at the soft material, his mind began to a wonder to a time hundreds of year before.  
  
~* FLASHBACK*~  
  
A tall slender blonde women stood at the top of the steps of a Mirkwood castle, clad in a simple greenish-silver gown, looking down at a handsome Warrior/ Prince with love and adoration. Slowly she descended to where he stood, with an empty quiver on his shoulder. Her eyes never leaving his face. At the foot of the stair her arms parted and enveloped him.  
  
Legolas beamed as he hugged her back, his Ankale. He buried his nose in the side of her head, breathing in the scent of her hair. It was a familiar scent, as he spent many hours as a younger boy playing with it, entranced by the shine.  
  
"I have missed you!" Ankale exclaimed kissing his cheek. "I'm so glad to find you home safely."  
  
"I am happy to be home." The Prince declared releasing the women from his embrace.  
  
"Did you slay many Orcs, receive any injury? Tell me everything."  
  
Legolas allowed himself to be pulled away by the women, whom he'd longed to see. And they sat in her room smiling and telling stories of all that had happened in the time he'd been gone with his brothers on a year long Orc hunt. Things seldom changed quickly in the world of elves, for when you live forever there is no need to hurry. Leaving there very little different about woodland kingdom then it was prior to the prince's leave.  
  
As the night grew closer Ankale realized that attractive elf male beside her must be tired and he was. Legolas was fighting to keep his deep blue eyes open, even the company of the most lovely women in the woods could not fight off the exhaustion. With another hug and swift kiss he excused himself and went off to his room.   
  
Short hours past, when suddenly the palace was awakened by a shrill scream of pain. Legolas knew that screaming, that voice, Ankale. He raced to her room, shoving open the door. There he found her, blood bubbling from a wound in the stomach and an Orc standing above her with his dagger raised. The elf lunged forward mustering all the strength that was left in his drained body and heaved the villain head first out of the bedroom window.  
  
In a flash he was knelt beside the dying beauty, he head cradled in his lap. Pressing against the wound with all his might, yet the blood did not stop flowing. Color drained from Ankale features and she trembled with cold. She was fading too quickly, things weren't suppose to happen that quickly in the world of elves.  
  
"I love you Legolas." She murmured weakly, her sky blue eyes closing gently.  
  
Legolas gulped rocking her limp body. "I love you too."  
  
~* End Flashback*~  
  
They never did figured out how the lone Orc assassin had snuck in the palace uncaught, or why Ankale would be the target of their wrath. It was something still haunting Legolas to that day. He blames himself for her death, thinking if he hadn't left her room to rest, he could've protected her. He vowed that night to never leave for the Grey Havens until Middle Earth was safe from Orc scum. He would not let someone else have to deal with the pain and loss he felt.  
  
As he sat there, fingering the piece of the dress she'd died in, he let a single tear escape his eye. Ankale was the women that held his heart and was his reason to fight. The only female he ever loved.  
  
"Who was she?" The blonde bowmen had been so lost in his memory he hadn't even noticed Aragorn sneaking up on him.  
  
"My mother." The elf replied. "The one I fight for."  
  
THE END 


End file.
